Claus Bertermann - ELSEWHERE (XXXL-format)

Artist: Claus Bertermann
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.bertermann.art

Claus Bertermann is an internationally established contemporary artist whose market profile is backed by international market authority and exceptional secondary market results. Known for his powerful, large-format abstract works, Bertermann has consistently commanded high-tier prices at the world’s most prestigious auction houses. His top realized prices include €18,900 at C. h. r. i. s. t. i. e´s Paris (Retro Zen), €15,240 at S. o. t. h. e. b. y´s Cologne (F5TP#CB), and €15,120 at C. h. r. i. s. t. i. e´s Paris (Whispershade). With additional successful sales at V. a. n. H. a. m, A. r. t. c. u. r. i. a. l, T. a. j. a. n, and D. o. r. o. t. h. e. u. m, Bertermann’s work is a proven asset for serious collectors worldwide.

From Architectural Abstraction to the Human Form
With a Master’s degree in Architecture (TU Munich), Bertermann originally gained global recognition for his "architectural strata" technique—layering and scraping oil paint to build spatial depth. Today, he brings this same structural intensity to his figurative practice. His figurative works are not mere depictions but explorations of presence and transience, blending his architectural precision with a raw, Neo-Expressionist energy.

International Artistic Footprint
With more than 1,000 large format works in private and institutional collections across the globe—including a monumental triptych at his alma mater, the Technical University of Munich—Bertermann continues to bridge the gap between rigorous structure and intuitive freedom. His debut on Catawiki offers a rare opportunity to acquire original figurative works from an artist with a solidified international auction record.

Important details for collectors
– Original, one-of-a-kind artwork - MADE BY A REAL PERSON, NOT AI.
– Dimensions (H x W): 200 x 180 cm (78.7 × 70.9 inches)
– Medium: Acrylic and oil crayon on canvas
– Year: 2026
– Signed by the artist on the front and back side
– Ships rolled without frame

What makes this piece unique
"Elsewhere" captures a figure who is present in body but absent in attention — physically here, yet turned toward something beyond the frame. Rather than telling a narrative, the painting presents a condition: the quiet displacement of being somewhere the viewer cannot follow.
In his figurative works, Claus Bertermann deliberately shifts his physical painting process. Instead of traditional brushes, he applies acrylic paint with a roller, forcing broader arm movements and reducing fine control. This creates a raw, uneven background that carries visible momentum and bodily rhythm.
The figure's silhouette is drawn directly with oil crayon — intuitively and independently from the painted ground. The lines do not conform to the underlying surface; they cut through it. This separation between rough painterly field and assertive drawing establishes tension between structure and vulnerability.
Unlike his abstract works, Claus Bertermann does not scrape back layers here. The image is built forward: coarse acrylic application followed by decisive oil crayon contours.

Why it is worth the price
This is a large-scale, one-of-a-kind painting executed through a physically engaged process that emphasizes movement, immediacy, and material contrast. The roller-painted acrylic ground gives the surface a distinct energy, while the oil crayon drawing introduces a fragile, human counterpoint.
Bertermann's figurative paintings are characterized by this duality: raw construction paired with restrained conceptual clarity and creating a unique signature style. "Elsewhere" represents a mature example of this approach — a museum-scale work that balances expressive force with quiet psychological depth.
The piece reflects Claus Bertermann's ongoing exploration of contemporary vulnerability, presence, and internal landscapes, making it both visually compelling and conceptually lasting for collectors.

Visual description & condition
The composition centers on a seated figure drawn up into herself — knees pulled close, the body wrapped in black — rendered through bold silhouette lines and loose, gestural color fields. Cool mint-greens, teal, and pale ivory dominate the background, contrasted by the warm, earthy tones of the figure's bare skin and the ground beneath her. Anatomy is intentionally simplified and slightly distorted, prioritizing emotional weight over realism.

The acrylic surface remains rough and open, showing the marks of the paint roller. The oil crayon lines sit visibly on top, maintaining their independence from the ground.

The work is unframed and not stretched.

Condition is excellent. All surface irregularities are intentional and integral to the artist's process.

Background / artistic context
Claus Bertermann works within contemporary expressive figurative painting, focusing on states of being rather than representation. His figures function as carriers of internal conditions — suspended, vulnerable, unresolved.

By separating painterly gesture (acrylic with roller) from drawing (oil crayon silhouettes), Claus Bertermann creates a dialogue between body and space, control and exposure. Elsewhere embodies this method precisely: a distilled emotional presence shaped through physical movement and intuitive line.

Practical details for buyers:
Original, one-of-a-kind artwork
Acrylic and oil crayon on canvas
Dimensions (H x W): 200 x 180 cm (78.7 × 70.9 inches)
Signed by the artist on the front and back side
Certificate of authenticity included
Shipped rolled (not framed or stretched)

Professional packaging and worldwide shipping with premium shipping companies like UPS.

The canvas includes an additional continuous white border of approximately 10 cm (approx. 4 inches) on all sides beyond the painted surface. This margin allows the artwork to be professionally restretched on museum-quality stretcher bars up to 5 cm (approx. 2 inches) in depth, resulting in a clean, frameless, gallery-style presentation without the need for a decorative frame.

Please note that the artwork is sold unframed and without stretcher bars. Professional stretching is the responsibility of the buyer. The painting is shipped rolled for safe international transport and flexible installation according to the buyer's preference.

The artwork is signed on both front and reverse, with title, year, and the artist's full name inscribed on the back.